DeMbare aim to seal tie in Ndola
DYNAMOS coach Lloyd Chigowe wants his charges to play with pride and seal their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round tie against ZESCO United today.
Chigowe’s men carry a slender 1-0 advantage as they go into the second leg battle at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, Zambia this afternoon.
It is the first time in a decade that Dynamos are featuring in a CAF interclub competition. Chigowe was composed and eloquent as usual when he addressed journalists during a pre-match press conference in Ndola yesterday.
The 60-year-old lanky coach is well aware a big game awaits him and his charges, one which will decide whether the Glamour Boys continue with their flirtation with African football this year. After taking the first leg lead at their adopted Gaborone National Stadium in Botswana last weekend, it is important that DeMbare complete the task and progress to the next round of the competition.
On his part, Chigowe feels at home in Zambia, where he was born in 1964, in Kitwe.
Appearing at yesterday’s press conference with club captain Frank Makarati, Chigowe demonstrated he had done some serious homework on his opponents and explained how he planned to disrupt their possession-based football in front of their own crowd.
“We intend to match them man for man,” he said.
“We believe they are a good side and we know they have got a recent history of success, not only in Zambia. But we are Dynamos; formed in 1963.
“We have been to the final of the Champions League; we will play with pride tomorrow (today),” said Chigowe.
Midfielder Tanaka Shandirwa gave DeMbare the lead with his header in the first leg.
Chigowe is expecting a full complement of his squad apart from striker Namibian Sadney Uri-Khob, who was injured in the reverse fixture and the versatile Nomore Chinyerere.
But that has not dented Chigowe’s confidence. He said his team will play with pride, with the national flag as the source of their inspiration.
“Dynamos is the soul and spirit of Zimbabwean football. When Dynamos goes to sleep, Zimbabwean football goes to sleep.
“So, we are the flagbearers. We must lead the way in resuscitating football in Zimbabwe and we take the responsibility. We will give a good fight,” Chigowe said.
Nine-time Zambian league champions ZESCO are certainly no pushovers, especially when playing at their backyard in Ndola. But Chigowe was bullish, stating there will be nothing like home ground advantage for the Zambian heavyweights.
He also said Dynamos had become used to playing away from their traditional home ground due to the stadium challenges back home.
“We are one people. When we are here (in Zambia), we are at home.
“Myself, I was born here; my father had a farm here in Zambia in Mumbwa (district). So, Zimbabwe and Zambia are Siamese twins, and it is Dynamos, who are always playing with adversity.
“Every team in Zimbabwe want to beat Dynamos and for the greater part of last season, we were playing away from our home because our stadium was not certified. So, we are used to playing away from home, that’s why we played in Gaborone, but we settled for that. What is going to matter tomorrow (today) is the application from both teams and may the better team win.”
DeMbare captain Makarati and his teammates are also looking forward to the second leg showdown with high hopes.
“We played last week with ZESCO and we saw how they played. So, from our side we are ready to face them again and we are very ready.
“It’s going to be an electrifying match because we are facing one of the biggest clubs in Zambia and so from our side, we are very ready for everything that they are going to throw at us.
“We have the quality to go to the next round,” Makarati said.
Veteran ZESCO United coach George Lwandamina wants to use home advantage to overturn the first leg result and book themselves a ticket to the second preliminary round due in September.
The Zambians have slashed ticket prices to create a carnival atmosphere they hope can intimidate Dynamos. The cheapest ticket is going for US$0.39 (K10) and US$6 (K150) for the VIP.
“It’s a do-or-die game, being a qualifier to the next round, that’s how it becomes important for us.
“We have to raise the bar of Zambian football not just ZESCO, so we are the servants of football and that’s why I had to come back (to ZESCO),” Lwandamina told the media.
“They (Dynamos) are tactically good, but I am sure we have to do more than what we did in Gaborone if we are to go past them, and I am sure the players are ready to do that.
“We have to do our business on the pitch. I know fans are also important, they are the 12th player, but when you don’t have fans, you still have to play.
“When you have more fans, you still have to play and do your business,” added Lwandamina.